We’ve all been there. Life is good. Our relationships with our family, our friends, our co-workers, seem to be going along fine. And then, out of the blue, it happens. Something comes up. We have a “not-our-best” moment. And now we’ve got…well…a situation.

Let’s face it…in spite of our best intentions, sometimes we human beings hurt each other. Whether it’s through misunderstanding, an oversight, being insensitive, or a moment of frustration or anger, we don’t always see eye to eye. We say things. We do things. We hurt each other. And often, we carry that hurt around far too long.

Why Forgive?

If we’re honest with ourselves, we have to admit that nothing good comes from holding on to our hurt or withholding forgiveness. Aside from being the right and mature thing to do, it’s a proven fact that it’s just better for us—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—to mend fences. Because we all need each other more than we need to “win” or take a chance on losing the very people we love the most.

To say those 3 little words, whether they’re “I’m really sorry” or “I forgive you,”and mean them, is to open the door to a fresh start. And it’s a gift—to ourselves, and to everyone around us.

The First Steps…

Even when we or someone else is sorry, it’s not always easy to know the best way to make things better. But here are some suggestions that may help:

Be yourself—let the thoughts and words come from your heart.

Keep it simple. Don’t replay all the details of the situation
or try to defend your side of things.

Express how much you care about the person and how you value
your relationship with them.

Accept responsibility. If this person is really important to you,
put your own ego aside. It’s not about who’s right and who’s wrong.

Say you’re sorry, or accept an apology without being specific about what was said that was hurtful or how you were affected.

Express a sincere desire to forgive or be forgiven and to heal the relationship.

Tell each other what you’ve learned from this experience—about yourself, about them, about what’s most important in life.

Understand that it may take a while before either is ready to forgive.

But don’t be discouraged. You’ve done what you can. Now give it time.

Let Us Help You Find the Words…

Here at bluemountain.com, you and your relationships are important to us. We love helping people say the things that are deepest in their hearts—especially when finding the right words can be difficult. So here are some perfect ways to say “I’m sorry” that we hope will help you reconnect with someone special today.

Adding Your Personal Touch…

I know saying sorry can’t change what’s happened, but…Sorry isn’t just a word…sometimes it’s a hope for a new beginning.How can I make things better?Didn’t mean to let you down.I miss the good times with you…I never meant to hurt you, but I know I did.I realize I’ve hurt you and I’m so sorry.So I really messed up, didn’t I?Wanting things to be right between us again.I value your friendship so very much.I want to say I’m sorry, I’m just not sure how.I’m not proud of the way I’ve acted.I’m really sorry and I hope that you’ll forgive me.So sorry for __________ (be specific).I’m struggling to find the right words, but I want you to know…If I could take it all back, I would.Our (friendship, relationship) is more important to me than anything.Sometimes I lose sight of what’s most important…You’re one of the most important people in my lifeYou’re really special to me, probably more than you know right now.

On a Lighter Note:

Me and my big mouth… I don’t know what I was thinking…big shocker, huh? Sorry. I pretty much suck. You’re kind, smart and wonderful…not to mention forgiving? Sorry…I’ll definitely keep trying harder. We all make mistakes…guess I just make more than my share of them. So exactly how mad are you right now? I had a very good reason for doing what I did…I was being stupid and inconsiderate!